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2 sheetssheet 1. 5

(No Model.)

B. s. CHURCH.

dSLIAM 0R OTHER ENGINE.

Patented NOV. 20, 18,88.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

B. s. CHURCH. STEAM 0R OTHER ENGINE.

Patented Nov. 20, 1888.

HJW-o t 'iINrTnn STATES PATENT Tirion.

BENJAMIN S. CHURCH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STEAM OR OTHER ENGINE.

SPECPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,988, dated November v2O, 1888.

Application filed August 24, 1887. Serial No. 247,724. (No model.) d

To @ZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN SUHURCH, ofthe city of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Steam or other Engines, of which the following is aspecication.

This invention relates to that class of engines in which the piston is actuated by a confined volume of a suitable elastic duid which is alternately expanded and contracted by heating and cooling it.

Previous to my invention it had been proposed to alternately heat and cool the volume of confined uid by driving it from one part of d a chamber, in which the uid comes in contact with a hot tube or surface,to another part of such chamber, in which the fluid comes in in contact with a cold tube or surface, a movable shield or partition being employed within the said chamber for covering either the hot or 'cold tube or surface and driving the iuid from one part of the chamber into the other-as, for instance, in the patents to McTighe, No. 321,739, July 7, 1885, and Willcox, No. 9,871, July 19, 1853. It had also been proposed to revolve these chambers for the purpose of causing the heating and cooling agents to act alternately upon the same part of the chamber, as in the patent to Hidden and Reeves, No. 21,133, August 10, 1858.

The object of my invention is to effect the alternate heating and cooling of the confined volume of iiuid without the employment of movable parts within the chambers which are exposed to the pressure of the fluid and without moving the chambers themselves, which would necessitate the use of moving joints exposed to the pressure of the fluid, thereby avoiding leakage and reducing the resistance of the parts within the engine to a minimum, whereby the engine is simplified and greater economy in the consumption of fuel is secured.

In the accompanying drawings,consisting of two sheets, Figure lis a longitudinal sectional elevation of my improved engine. Fig. 2is a horizontal section thereof,partly shown in plan view. Fig. 3 is avertical cross-section in line x, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is alvertical cross-section Fig.' 5 is a horizontal secinline y y, Fig. 2.

tion in line x, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of the engine. Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the passages connecting the boiler with the heating and cooling chambers. Fig. 8 is a similar view of the equalizing-valves Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

The principle upon which my invention is based consists in the alternate heating and cooling of confined or isolated volumes of an elastic duid, whereby unequal pressures are produced on opposite sides of the piston which traverses the cylinder of the engine.

A high initial pressure of air or any other elastic Huid may be used as the medium of power.

For illustration, l will describe my invention with reference to the employment of steam as the expanding medium and hot air or the products of combustion as the heating medium and cold air as the cooling medium. This alternate heating and cooling is effected in my invention in chambers communicating with the cylinder, the piston separating the two volumes of steam in the chambers and cylinder on opposite sides of the piston. The heating andcooling of the steam is effected in these chambers by circulating currents of hot and cold air, which are alternately directed through each chamber and whereby the steam is alternately expanded and contracted. While the steam is being expanded by a hot current on one side of the piston it is contracted to about the initial pressure and temperature by a cold current on the opposite side of the piston, causing unequal pressures on opposite sides of the piston, whereby the piston is actuated.

A represents the cylinder, provided with .ports an.

B represents the piston, secured to a rod, b, which transmits the power to theshaft C bya cross-head, c, and pitman c.

D D represent the fixed heating and cooling chambers, communicating, respectively, with the cylinder by the ports a a. These chambers are provided, respectively, with upright tubes or lues d d', around which the steam-space is formed in each chamber, while the hot and cold air currents pass through the tubes.

E E represent the connected exit-passages through which the air-currents escape from the upper ends of the tubes d d', and e e repsent the inlet-passages for said currents leading to the lower ends of said tubes.

F represents a small upright steam-boiler arranged between the chambers D D', and having its steam -space connected with the upper ends of thc chambers by a passage, f, valve-chamber f', and pipes]C2 f, as represented in Figs. l, 3, and 7. Ihe valve-chamberf is provided with partitions g g on opposite sides ofthe passage f, in which parlitions are seated check-valves G- G', whichv close toward the steam-boiler and open toward the chambers d d, so thatthese valves open when the pressure in the boiler exceeds the pressure in the chambers and permit the steam to pass from the boiler into the chambers or chamber in which the pressure is below the` boiler-pressure, while .the valves close when the pressure in the chambers exceeds the boiler-pressure.

II represents the furnace or irebox, arranged below the boiler. h represents the grate, and h a sliding damper arranged in the upper part of the fire-box, below the bottom of the boiler.

z' z" represent ports connecting the fire-box II respectively with the inlet-passages c e of the chambers I) D, and I I represent valves or dampers by which the ports it are alternately opened and closed. The dampers I I are connected by rods jj with a rock-arm, J, which is actuated from the engine-shaft C by an eccentric, K, and rod 7c. The latter passes through a lug, k', on the rock-arm J, and is provided with stops 7c2 7a, which come alternately in contact with the lug 7c and actuate the rock-arm .I intermittently. Any other suitable mechanism for opening and closing the dampers I I may be employed, if desired.

L represents a fan-blower or other air-propelling apparatus, having its blast-pipe lconnected with two channels or passages, Z Z2, which are arranged on opposite sides of the {ire-box II and communicate with the inletpassages e c of the chambers D D, so that the I blast entering either of the channels Z Z2 passes upwardly therefrom through the respective inlet-passages c e and the tubes d d of the chamber communicating therewith. The dampers I I close the channels Z Z2 when they open the ports z' i', and vice versa, as represented in Fig. l. Ihe fan-blower L is preferably actuated by a belt, m, from a pulley, M, on the engine-shaft.

The Valves or dampers whereby the hot and cold currents are alternately directed through the fixed heating and cooling chambers need not be fitted any tighter than ordinary stovedampers, and consequently require but little power for their operation. The heating and cooling chambers being iXed and connected with the passages for the iiuid by fixed joints, the wear, friction, and leakage attending the use of movable joints are avoided.

rIhe steam-spaces of thechambers D D communicate with each other by pipes a a and an intermediate valve-chamber, N, in which are'arranged two valves, o o', which close inwardly or toward cach other'. 'Ihis valve mechanism is arranged'betwecn the cylinder A and the steam-boiler, as represented in Figs. 2 and 3.

p represents au actuating linger or arm which is arranged in the valve-chamber N, and which engages against the stem of either valvc,so as to open the same against the pressure in the respective chamber toward which the valve opens, while the valve seats itself when released by the pressure in the chamber. rlhe arm or linger p is secured to a Vertical rock-shaft, I,which extends downwardly from the valve-chamber, and isprovided at its lower end with an arm, p. q represents a inger or nose secured to the rod j, which connects the dampers I I', and

' projecting rearwardly therefrom,so as to come in contact with the arm p', as represented in Fig. 5. The nose q is so arranged on the rod j that it moves the arm p and opens one of the valves o o justbefore the piston reaches the end of its stroke.

r r' represent ventcocks applied to the steamspaces of the chambers D D.

The operation of this engine is as follows: Steam is generated in the boiler F by the fire on the grate h, the damper h being open, so as to give free access of the heat to the boiler. Vhcn the steam-pressure in the boiler reaches the desired initial pressure-for instance,siXty pounds to the square ineh-the valves G G', which are properly weighted by springs, open and permit the steam to pass from the boiler to the chambers D D and the cylinder A on both sides of the piston. The air contained in the steam-spaces of thc chambers D D and cylinder A is expelled by the steam through the vent-cocks a" fr. been expelled, these cocks are closed. rIhe steam-spaces in the chambers D D and cylinder A are now filled with saturated steam of the desired initial pressure. When the parts are in the position represented in Figs. l and 2, the hot products of combustion pass from the tire-chamber II through the passage t', inlet-passage e, tubes d, and exit-passage E.

`thereby heating the steam in the chamber D and in that part of the cylinder Awhieh communicates with the port a. Ihe damper I being closed, cold air can pass through the tubes d of the chamber D. In this manner the steam is heated and expanded on one side of the piston, creating an over pressure which propels the piston in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2. Then the piston has nearly reached the'end of the stroke, the valve o is opened by the arm p, thereby placing the expanded steam in the IOO IIO

Then all of the air has chamber D in communication with the steam of initial pressure in the chamber D'. The valve o' is raised from its seat by the overpressure and the pressure becomes equalized, and in the chambers D D' and the cylinder A on both sides of the piston, the pressure and heat falling in the chamber D and rising in the chamber D. The dampers I I'are shifted at the same time, the damper l' being opened and the damper I closed, so that the hot current now passes through the tubes d' of the chamber D', while the cold current passes through the tubes d of the chamber D. This causes a reduction of the pressure before the piston and an increase of the pressure behind the piston, whereby the piston is caused to move through the cylinder in an opposite direction. W'hen the piston has nearly reached the end of its return-stroke, the valve o is opened, thereby again equalizing the pressure on both sides of the piston. The dampersII' are at the same time shifted to the position represented in Fig. 1. In this manner hot and cold current-s are successivelyA directed through each chamber D D', thereby causing successive expansions and contractions of the same confined volumes of steam, loss of steam from leakage, and also the pressure of these volumes of steam is prevented from falling below the initial pressure by steam supplied to the chambers D D'from the boiler F through the pipesffzfis and valves G G'. When the engine is in normal operation, but little fresh steam is required to be supplied from the boiler to the chambers D D', and the damper h is nearly closed, so as to direct the bulk of heat from the fire-box H to the chambers D D'. The cold blast driven through one chamber bythe fan-blower L and escaping from either of the connected pipes E E causes by induction a strong draft of hot gases through the other chamber. I prefer to employ a blower for this purpose on account of its uniform action; but it is obvious that a strong chimney-draft, causing the flow of hot gases through one chamber, will by induction cause a corresponding flow of cold air through the other chamber, in which case the blower may be omitted. By equalizing the pressure on both sides of the piston, as described, the relative pressures on both sides of the piston are to a certain extent regulated,'the heat and pressure of the volume of steam to be next cxpanded is increased before the hot blast is applied, and the heat and pressure in the volume to be cooled is reduced just before the cold blast is applied, thereby effecting an important economy in fuel.

For the purpose of preventing loss of heat by radiation, the parts in which the steam is contained are preferably protected by nonconducting material. The piston is also provided with a non-conducting lining to prevent radiation through the piston from the highpressure to the low-pressure volume of steam.

The cubical contents of each chamber are preferably about equal to the cubical contents of the cylinder.

The cold blast should be so regulated that it does not chill the steam to the pointI of eondensation.

In the engine herein described all that is required of the boiler is that it shall furnish the initial charge of steam to the'cylinders and chambers and make good the loss of steam by leakage' and partial condensation, which is effected automatically, as described, by means of the valves O O and the arms p p. The boiler capacity to meet these requirements being small compared with the amount of heat generated in the fire-box, the risk from eX- plosion as compared with that risk in boilers for ordinary engines is proportionally diminished.

I claim as my invention* 1. The combination, with the cylinder and piston, of fixed heating and cooling chambers communicating with the cylinder and provided With passages for heating and cooling media, and valves or dampers whereby the heating and cooling media are alternately directed through said passages, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the cylinder and piston, of heating and cooling chambers communicating With both ends of the cylinder, a furnace, and dampers whereby the heated gases arev alternately directed from said furnace through either chamber, substantially as set forth..

3. The combination, with the cylinder and piston, of heating and cooling chambers communicating with the cylinder, a furnace, an air-propelling device, and dampers whereby the'hot and cold currents are alternately directed through each chamber, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the cylinder and piston, of fixed heating and cooling chambers communicating wit-h the cylinder and provided with passages for heating and cooling media, valves or dampers whereby the heating and cooling media are alternately directed through said passages, a steam-boiler, and automatic valves whereby steam is admitted to the Huid-spaces of the engine from said boiler, substantially as set forth.

IOO

IIO

5. The combination, with the cylinder and I piston, of a valve-chamber communicating with both ends of the cylinder, automatic valves seated in said chamber and held in their seats by the pressure in the respective ends of the cylinder, and actuating mechanism whereby one of the valves is raised from its seat to equalize the pressure at the end of each stroke, substantially as set forth.

G. The combination, with the cylinder and piston, of the heating and cooling chambers D D', connected eXitpassages E E', inlet-passages e e', furnace H, and dampers I I', whereby the hot gases are alternately directed into the passages e e', substantiallyas set forth.

IZO

7. The combination, with the cylinder and damper, h', interposed between the furnace and [o piston, of the heating and cooling chambers the boiler,lsubstantially as set forth. D D', inlet-passages e e', furnace H, dampers Witness my hand this 10th day of August, I l', channels Z Z2, and a blower, L, having` its 1887. diseharffe- )i e connected With said channels 5 substaniailas set forth. 7 BENJAMIN S' CHURCH' 8. The combination, with the Cylinder and piston, of the.heating and cooling chambers D D', boiler F, furnace H, passages e e', and a Witnesses:

-WALTER S. CHURCH, HENRY W. SAOKETT, 

